SHOALHAVEN is one of the most popular tourist destinations in NSW, generating over $640 million per annum for the area. Are we going to jeopardise this by condoning a privately owned waste facility proposal, which will put at risk our pristine waterways, which are the heart of our attraction to tourists?
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Shoalhaven City Council is currently assessing an application for a privately owned, privately run non-putrescible waste facility in the water catchment area of Moona Moona Creek and Cockrow Creek. If this proposal is approved by the Joint Regional Planning Panel (not our council), the proponent will construct a 4.3 million litre dam to hold the leachate (tip juices) on the headwaters of Duck Creek, which runs into Moona Moona Creek then Jervis Bay.
The proponent in his documentation states, “The proposed leachate collection system is designed to be a closed system.” All the tip juices will be pumped back on the landfill at a maximum rate of 350,000 litres per day, resulting in more toxic, and more concentrated “tip juices”. What would happen to our pristine waterways should this dam fail? Do we want to risk what brings people to this area?
“Closed system” does not mean “safe system”.
BP had a closed system on the oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico. It was not immune from human or mechanical error, or natural disaster. As we know, when things go wrong it is usually too late.
There is no flood study for the proposed waste facility or the leachate dam, only for the bridge over Tomerong Creek. In the event of a flood, Tomerong Creek, 150 metres to the south and downhill of the proposed facility, is jeopardised. This creek flows into St Georges Basin, a nationally ecologically valued waterway and the largest weed bed lake on the south coast of NSW, open to the ocean.
This proposal not only jeopardises our waters, it will also put lives at risk on the roads. Since only 5 per cent of the waste will be local waste, 95 per cent will come on our roads. This will see an increase of 11,500 truck movements per year on our roads. How many more accidents and delays are we willing to tolerate?
This privately run operation will create a total of five jobs and cost the Shoalhaven its reputation as a prime tourist destination.
ShUT Inc [Shoalhaven Unwanted Tip] is an organisation dedicated to prevent this proposal from occurring and we encourage concerned residents to find out more about this on our website www.shutip.com
If you wish to help in the fight against this proposal our website will give details on how to become a member of ShUT Inc
T. Donohue,
Chairperson,
ShUT Inc.
